


Charming

by silverskyfullofstars



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anyways, Gen, Hogwarts Library, Hogwarts Library Restricted Section, I overtagged I'm so sorry, James Potter Being an Idiot, James Potter is a lovestruck dumbass, James Potter is well-intentioned but stupid, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Peter Pettigrew is... here, Remus Lupin & Lily Evans Potter Friendship, Remus Lupin is the only Marauder who does his homework at a reasonable time, Sarcastic Remus Lupin, Sirius Black Being Ridiculous, The Marauder's Map, and he's not evil, as much as I hate him he's still a Marauder and still a young kid, creating the Marauder's Map, so it's whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28247946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverskyfullofstars/pseuds/silverskyfullofstars
Summary: An afternoon in the Hogwarts library, flirting and fine-tuning the Marauder's Map.Marauders Era, late sixth year.
Relationships: James Potter & Lily Evans Potter, Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Pre Sirius Black/Remus Lupin - Relationship, Remus Lupin & James Potter, Remus Lupin & Lily Evans Potter, Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, pre James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	Charming

**Author's Note:**

> I know that this is a shit time to be a Harry Potter fan, since JKR has proved herself over and over to be a piece of trash, but I jumped at the chance to take a literature class focused on HP this term anyways because I figured it would be as good a time as any to think deeply and critically about the series and how to consume HP-related content. The result of this is that I have wholly embraced "death of the author" and have also fallen headfirst back into the HP fandom.
> 
> This fic is actually my contribution to my group's final creative writing project for that class, sans my classmates' writing (it's the Remus Lupin POV of a five-part Marauders + Lily fic). However, we did brainstorm together, so credit to them for plot points such as the Snape Hate Manifesto. Iconic.

“Oi! Why’s Moony doing his Charms essay _now_?”

Remus looked up from his parchment, rolling his eyes. “We’re in the library, Sirius, we’re supposed to be doing homework,” he said, turning back to his essay and twirling his quill between his fingers.

“Re-e-e-emus,” Sirius whined, “we’re _supposed_ to be working on the map! We’re so close to finishing!”

He gestured to the center of the Marauders’ library table, which was piled high with books on magical cartography and rolls of red-inked parchment.

James laughed from across the table. “Since when’ve you been desperate to finish some work, Padfoot?” he ribbed. “Did you switch into Ravenclaw or something when we weren’t looking?”

Sirius tried to poke James with his quill, but missed and got Peter instead. 

“Hey!” he shouted, a little too loud for the library.

 _“Shhh!”_ came the hissed reply from the other tables scattered around the stacks.

“Idiots,” Remus said fondly under his breath.

Sirius grinned. “I heard that, Moony!”

Remus smirked back. “I’m sure you did, _Padfoot_ , you’re a real miracle with that canine hearing.”

He ducked Sirius’ hand as it swung around to cuff his head lightly. “You should really start your Charms homework, the essay’s due tomorrow morning.”

“I don’t know why I have to do _work_ for Charms,” Sirius leaned over and stage-whispered, “when it looks like James is gearing up to do enough charming for all four of us.”

Sirius jutted his chin towards James, who was staring at the library doors that Lily Evans had just walked through with two other girls.

“Oh no,” Peter groaned, “is Lily back? I’m never going to get James’ attention now, and I needed his help adding the greenhouses to the map…”

“I’ll help you later, Wormtail, don’t worry,” James said distractedly.

“When’s later?” Peter asked. James didn’t reply - he was already out of his chair and heading towards the table Lily had just sat down at.

“Hey, Evans!”

Remus sighed, putting down his essay. “Don’t worry, Wormtail, I’ll help you. What’s the problem with the greenhouses?”

“It stops tracking people when they cross the border where I merged the parchment, I can’t figure out what’s wrong.”

“Shame, we won’t be able to see all those people sneaking out for a ‘secret’ snog,” Sirius deadpanned, fingers held up in air quotes.

“Shut up, Padfoot, like we haven’t caught you behind the greenhouses a time or two,” Remus replied, not missing a beat. “Let me see the map?”

Peter passed it over, and Remus twirled his quill between his fingers as he looked it over.

“Must be an issue with the variant of _Homenum Revelio_ we used. Hang on a moment,” he said, standing up. “There’s a book on magical etymology in the Restricted Section, let me go get it.”

“What are you going to do, use the Invisibility Cloak in broad daylight?” Sirius asked.

“No, it’s up in the dorm. I’m going to ask at the desk, just because Pince thinks _you’re_ a delinquent doesn’t mean she hates _me_.”

Sirius gave him a mock bow. “I _am_ a delinquent, Moony, thank you.”

“See? That’s why the teachers don’t trust you. Wait here while I get the book, and don’t start anything until I come back.”

“Afraid we’ll get in trouble, Remus?”

Remus grinned crookedly. “Afraid I’ll miss the chance to start some.”

He pushed in his chair and approached the librarian’s desk near the library’s entrance.

“Madam Pince, could I get some help finding a book, please?”

The librarian squinted at him distrustfully through the gold-framed reading glasses that pinched the bridge of her nose, but no more suspicion was in her gaze than she reserved for any other student, so he counted himself lucky.

“Which book, Mr. Lupin?” she asked. “And what for?”

Remus thought fast, hoping his mental scramble for an excuse didn’t show on his face.

“Well, we’ve been going over great spell-creators of wizarding history in Professor Binns’ class, and I want to write my essay on the evolution of linguistic spellcraft, but the books on magical etymology are in the Restricted Section.”

“Do you have a teacher’s signature, Mr. Lupin?”

He gave her a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry Madam Pince, you know how Professor Binns is. I tried to ask him, but he floated through the wall before I could get him to listen to my question. I was hoping that you might be able to help me anyways - I won’t let it leave the library or get damaged, I promise.”

Remus held his breath as Madam Pince deliberated. “Well. I suppose you are a prefect, and the pursuit of knowledge is a noble cause. You may borrow your books, Mr. Lupin, but if I see them leave this library, there will be consequences.”

Remus nodded. “Understood, Madam Pince. Thank you!” he said as she escorted him to the Restricted Section.

“Don’t let your friends damage my books, Mr. Lupin,” she warned. The rope blocking off the Restricted Section twined to the side with a flick of her wand.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Madam Pince,” he replied seriously. 

Remus skimmed the shelves until he found the books he was looking for.

“This one, I think. And maybe these two?”

Madam Pince looked over his book selection. “Hmm. Go on then, Mr. Lupin.”

She waved him off, and he returned to the Marauders’ alcove. 

“You got them!” Sirius said delightedly as Remus sat down. “I can’t believe it, I think she might have hexed me if I’d tried that.”

“I’d pay to see that,” Peter said distractedly, in the tone of someone who’d had the same conversation many times before.

“We can hex Sirius later, I’ve only got the books for as long as we’re in the library,” Remus cut in. “Wormtail, check the word roots for tracking spells while I look for parchment and map spells. Pads, can you take notes? The map looks best in your handwriting.”

“I can’t help but feel like there’s someone missing,” Peter said grumpily as the three boys got to work. “Where’s Prongs get off ditching us like that?”

A loud crash suddenly echoed through the library, like the sound of someone being shoved very hard into a bookcase.

Sirius’ eyes widened. “Well, if you were waiting for James to finish talking to Evans, I think he’s done for the day.”

Across the library, James was sitting in a pile of books, his glasses askew and a bookcase in three pieces on the floor beside him. Lily had her wand out, and she looked furious.

“What is this?” Madam Pince looked as incensed as Lily did. “Who is responsible for this mess in my library? Out, all of you, OUT!”

Madam Pince waved her wand and a wash of magic went out across the room, shoving books into bags, bags into students’ hands, and students out of their chairs and towards the door.

“I won’t stand for this tomfoolery in my library! If all of you can’t stay civil and quiet, then all of you must find somewhere else to study!”

Remus and the Marauders were hustled out of the library, along with the other Gryffindors, three Hufflepuffs, a clique of Ravenclaws and the odd Slytherin. They got a couple of dirty looks, especially from the Ravenclaws, but the other students slowly filtered out of the hallway, leaving the Marauders alone in front of the library save for Lily and her two friends.

“Having a good day, Lily?” Remus asked conversationally. They were friends after all, especially since they were both Gryffindor prefects. He deliberately did not look to his left, where James and Sirius were whispering furiously back and forth.

Lilly stood across from them with her hands on her hips, trying to look angry, but she looked more like she was fighting a smile. “I am, thanks, Remus. How’s the babysitting going?” she asked facetiously.

“Oh, it’s the best. Wish I were paid, though, the kids are hellions.”

“Hey!” James exclaimed.

Lily rolled her eyes and started down the hallway with her friends.

“Tell your friend Potter,” she called behind her, “that if he really wants to spend time with a girl, he shouldn’t try distracting her the afternoon before her Charms essay is due.” 

Beside Remus, James’ eyes had gone a bit unfocused.

“Luckily,” Lily continued airily, “I think I’ll have a lot to write on the Impediment Jinx this afternoon, so perhaps I should be thanking him.”

Remus tried his best not to laugh. No wonder James had failed - if someone had tried to ask _him_ out the day before an important assignment, Remus would have jinxed them too.

“Good luck on your essay, Lily! And don’t worry about any of these idiots bothering you later, I’ll keep them in line at least until the essay’s due.”

Lily waved as she turned the corner away from them. Sirius smirked.

“How long do you reckon Moony can keep us in line, Prongs?”

James pretended to think deeply, rubbing his chin and scrunching up his face. “I dunno, Padfoot, might be hard with that prank we have planned for the Slytherins.”

“Plan away, lads,” Remus waved them off. “All I promised was that you wouldn’t disrupt Lily’s studying.”

James beamed at him. “So as long as the common room’s quiet -”

“- we’re in the clear -” Sirius jumped in.

“- and it’s not like the Slytherin dorms are _anywhere_ near Gryffindor Tower,” Peter finished.

Remus grinned. “Now you’re getting it.”

He slung an arm around Sirius’ shoulders as they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower to begin their scheme, his hand brushing the pile of books and papers in the other boy’s arms.

“Hey, Padfoot, did you get anything written down for the map before Prongs got the whole library kicked out?” he asked, craning his neck to see the top parchment on the stack.

“Pads, what the hell is the _Snape Hate Manifesto?”_

The words stretched out across the top of the parchment in elegant calligraphy, the kind Sirius only used when he was trying his best to impress or annoy.

Sirius seemed delighted at his reaction. “It’s my best idea yet! We have to lock the map with magic eventually so we’re the only ones who can use it, right?”

“Yeah…”

“So when we do it, why don’t we make it a little more interesting for people we _definitely_ don’t want reading it?”

Peter and James crowded around them to read the list of insults, jostling Remus and nearly making Sirius lose his grip on the bottom of the stack.

“Abnormally large nose…” Peter read, “Sirius, didn’t James say that about Snape three days ago?”

“Yeah, and you called him a slimeball last Hogsmeade weekend, Wormy,” James chimed in.

Sirius grinned. “I present to you the Snape Hate Manifesto, courtesy of Gryffindor’s greatest!”

Remus shook his head good-naturedly. “You’re going to get us a detention to remember if he actually does find that.”

“Yeah, well,” Sirius replied. “We’re gonna get one for the prank James has got planned anyways. Who cares about detention if we spend it together?”

“Yeah, Moony,” Peter added. “Detentions come and go, but the Marauders are forever.”

Remus smiled at the sudden sentimentality. “Yeah,” he agreed, “the Marauders are forever.”

_Fin._

**Author's Note:**

> I mentioned that I wrote this for class, so it did come with a little bit of academic analysis, if y'all are into that.  
> 
>
>> In the books, we don’t get to learn much about Remus Lupin beyond what he tells us himself: “I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauder’s Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, and I taught you how to produce a Patronus, Harry, which takes the form of a stag” ( _Deathly Hallows_ 204). None of these identifiers are really about Remus as an individual - they’re either about his lycanthropy or his association with the Potters and the Order of the Phoenix (even his marriage is tied to the Order). In our fanfiction, I wanted to flesh him out as an individual person with an identity beyond social stigma and importance to other characters. To do this, I built off of the little glimpses of him we see in flashback scenes - a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, dedication to his schoolwork, and deeper lines in the sand than James and Sirius have ( _Order of the Phoenix_ 640-649). He’s still surrounded by the Marauders, since they are his friends, but he has a distinct personality from them. He is able to stand out because of his intelligence, resourcefulness, and playful sarcasm, not because he’s a werewolf.
> 
>   
> Long story short, I'm a massive Remus Lupin fan and I love exploring his character and the way he thinks and acts. I wanted to see him happy and free of the shadowy side of the magical world, so I tried my best to jump into his brain and let him lead me to his happy place. I hope it worked!
> 
> Some final notes/commentary:  
> 
> 
>   * Sirius' sense of humor pains me. I love him dearly, but come on, man. I had to write it though, it's in pure Sirius form.
>   * Remus' sense of humor, on the other hand, is golden. The sarcasm? The dry delivery? I love it. Also, he's an excellent liar, as the whole magical etymology spiel proves. He's not the boring Marauder, he's just the one who gets caught the least. (I'd read books on magical etymology though, and so would Remus.)
>   * Headcanon that Sirius has really good handwriting, both for normal writing and calligraphy. Remus takes neat notes, but nothing special. James has chaotic handwriting, and Peter's is literally unreadable.
>   * For context, Lily did not push James into a bookcase. She cast _Impedimenta_ on him when he wouldn't go away and stop talking to her, and he tried to walk through the jinx and ended up tripping into a bookcase.
>   * I know fanon has James as the mom friend but I feel like his braincell count goes way down when he and Sirius are in planning mode, and Remus is the epitome of dad friend in the sense that he'll walk past James and Sirius literally on fire, give them a thumbs up, and go back to his book.
>   * "...if someone had tried to ask him out the day before an important assignment, Remus would have jinxed them too." Hey, weren't we just joking about hexing Sirius?
> 



End file.
